By: Dr. Meg Waldron & Dr. Summer Watson Leaders today are increasingly challenged to create environments where people can adapt, collaborate, and contribute at their highest potential. However, rapid technological advances, shifting workforce expectations, organizational complexity, and constant change have reshaped what effective leadership requires. Success is no longer driven solely by processes, strategy, or performance metrics. Rather, it depends on whether people feel c

“With greater connection, we become less apprehensive about engaging across lines of difference, and we develop greater capacity to relate and to empathize with those different from us.” - Tropp & Dehrone Tina Yao, Founder of Girls Who Innovate, applauds Keynote Dr. Tomika Ferguson at the WIC USA Mentor Mixer on August 8, 2026. Community building is not happenstance; it is intentional, and it is inclusive. It can cross sectors, generations, borders, and lived experiences. I

Keep the Conversation Going: The Mentor Mixer We are just days away from our gathering in Ashland. This isn't just a meeting; it's a convergence of expertise, ambition, and shared growth. Event Details Saturday, August 8, 2026 | 1:00 – 3:30 PM EDT 9555 Kings Charter Dr L, Ashland, VA 23005, USA Who You'll Meet Our attendee list is a tapestry of professional excellence. At the Mixer, you will connect with emerging and experienced leaders from technology, venture capital, legal

EVENTS | MISSION | CONTACT TICKET SALES END IN 48 HOURS A Cross-Generational Dialogue Connecting Wisdom Across Eras Join us for our WIC USA Mentor Mixer, a curated space where trailblazing leaders and emerging visionaries converge. This event is more than a gathering; it is an opportunity for positive change and amazing connections. Event Details Mentor Mixer August 8, 2026, 1:00 – 3:30 PM EDT 9555 Kings Charter Dr L, Ashland, VA 23005, USA Keynote Speaker Dr. Tomika Ferguson

Private label is no longer a side aisle strategy. It has become one of the clearest ways for retailers, ecommerce brands, and sourcing teams to build sharper assortments, protect margins, and respond faster to changing customer demand. That is why White & Private Label Expo New York matters. The event takes place September 30 through October 1, 2026, at the Javits Center in New York City, bringing together suppliers, manufacturers, retail leaders, ecommerce brands, and produc

Dr. Jacqueline Kumar, Ph.D., Founding Member, Women in Change U.S.A. “Empathy gets dismissed as a soft skill because people confuse it with kindness or with putting themselves in someone else's shoes. That is not wrong. It is incomplete,” Dr. Jacqueline Kumar shared with Women in Change U.S.A. The power of empathy came in a light bulb moment for Kumar. “Early in my Ph.D., I attended a conference on empathy. Neuroscientist Dr. James Doty said something that changed my directi

“From my experience as an operational and people leader, I know what it's like to lead others through change while delivering critical work, often amid self-doubt. I ask more powerful questions that allow the clients to pause, reflect, and think. I'm able to hold space for these leaders, a time they don't always have,” said Kathleen Wisemandle, MSLOC, ELOC, Founder and Principal of Aspire to Grow and the host of The Rooted Leader podcast. Wisemandle spent over three decades

“What did you expect — balloons and a welcoming committee?” This is an example of a rhetorical question, and I once had a leader who actually asked me this as I returned to work from being out on FMLA. I was a single mom of three young boys; I had been home for several weeks on leave, hospitalized with an aggressive MS relapse. I was excited to be back at work, and I was thrilled to see my students again after weeks away, I did not want a welcoming committee; I wanted to fe

“An architect doesn't just manage the construction - she designs the blueprint.” Meet Women in Change USA Member, Allie Hartman. Allie is forging a path in Artificial Intelligence and creating a blueprint for other women to do the same. Allie is a Change Management Leader, but more specifically an AI Transformation Project Manager and entrepreneur. Her graduate studies in Psychology, Survey Research, Project Management and Business Analytics prepared her adequately for this